7 Ways To Beat The January Blues As a University Student
January: the month of cold weather, low motivation, and university exams! These factors combined with the end of the Christmas break manifest in a form of seasonal depression known as the January Blues. Many university students battle the blues, as they are met with exams and deadlines after a month of holiday magic.
Here are 7 useful tips that will hopefully help you to beat these low moods!
1. Stay Active:
Doing at least 30 minutes of exercise per day can help boost your endorphins and improve your mental health. If you didn’t join a sports society in Term 1, now’s the time! With many to choose from, including yoga, netball, and hockey, each can be a great opportunity to remain active whilst making friends. If that seems like a lot of commitment for right now, going for a brisk walk, bike ride or even to the gym are also good ways to alleviate depressive symptoms.
2. Practice Mindfulness:
Focussing on breathing and meditation can relieve stress and help you to stay in control of your feelings. This could be practiced by following a quick meditation video on YouTube before class, or even listening to your Smartwatch when it tells you to breathe for 30 seconds! UCL also has a mindfulness and meditation society where you can practice this regularly every Wednesday.
3. Journaling:
Writing down your thoughts and feelings daily can increase your awareness of them and reduce overall anxiety. There are many different forms of journaling but one that works best for me is ‘Gratitude journaling’, where you focus your feelings on the aspects of life that you’re grateful for. This encourages you to be more positive, instead of focussing on the negatives of each day.
4. Create a Routine:
Creating a routine is essential to helping you stay on track during January exams. Establishing a consistent routine will give you a more structured environment where you can focus on making time for your hobbies as well as your studies. A popular routine that people follow is the 8-8-8 rule, ensuring that you get 8 hours sleep, study and downtime everyday, essential for maintaining a work-life balance.
5. Make time for friends:
Although it can feel like it’s hard to find time to socialise when swamped with work, spending time with loved ones can help you feel less alone. Grabbing a quick coffee, going on a study date, or even having lunch with a friend after an exam can help reduce feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Remember that they’re going through the same thing as you!
6. Focus on Nutrition:
When living on campus, sometimes ordering a takeaway feels a lot easier than cooking for yourself. Try to avoid that this month! Not only will your bank account be grateful, but so will your mind. Healthy meals can be cheap and quick too, such as a stir-fry, pasta bake and fajitas. Check out some recipes and start batch cooking to simplify your week!
7. Seek support:
Finally, if you’re finding this time particularly hard, seek professional support! Seasonal depression can feel overwhelming and sometimes it’s hard to focus on pursuing the things we enjoy doing when we’re stressed. Speak to the welfare team, counsellors and even a staff member you trust. Remember you can use 3 Delay Assessment Permits per year so if you’re feeling swamped with work, this is always an option!